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  1. Lou C

    Upgrading trailer tires and rims - need advice

    The idea of using LT tires can work provided that they have enough load capacity for it to work for you. The issue is this: most 225/75-15 tires are standard load and limited to approx 1850 lbs which is like 1000 lbs less than a good E load range trailer tire in the same size if you go up to an...
  2. Lou C

    Upgrading trailer tires and rims - need advice

    So do I. The public was told the advantages of radials (better ride, better cornering, longer tread life and cooler operating temps) but not of the dark side, that is, cheaply made radials are dangerous. More dangerous than a bias ply tire IMHO. In fact one of the states highway patrol depts, I...
  3. Lou C

    Upgrading trailer tires and rims - need advice

    Variable quality control as I said And, very few people ever weigh their loaded trailers so don’t know that they are overloaded Cheap skate trailer companies sticking to 15” rims that max out with a 225/75-15 Load Range E tire giving 2830 lbs max. If a six lug axle & hubs were used you could go...
  4. Lou C

    Upgrading trailer tires and rims - need advice

    Go over to The Hull Truth trailers forum you’ll find plenty to read about steel radial trailer tire problems. To sum up, there is a long history of problems with steel belted radial tires going back to the mid 70s with the Firestone 500 debacle & recall and then again in the early 2000s with the...
  5. Lou C

    Spare Stern Drive

    lol yep, missed that. Well the one in the pix is from a 3.0 seeing as how the engine is right there, and here are the gear ratios from my old OMC manuals: 2.3 liter Ford: 2:1 overall, upper 21:21, lower 13:26 3.0 liter GM: 1.71:1 overall, upper 21:18, lower 13:26 so the question really is, would...
  6. Lou C

    Spare Stern Drive

    What engine do you have?
  7. Lou C

    Spare Stern Drive

    It’s most important to get the correct drive ratio for your engine and, from 86-89 the 4 cyl models used a smaller lower unit; the 90-90 all used the same V6/V8 lower unit. So you can use a 90-93 on an 88 boat as long as your overall gear ratio is right for your engine, and get a stronger lower...
  8. Lou C

    Newer Mercruiser Cooling System Questions . . .

    Interesting, I wonder if you’ll see more consistent temps in all parts of the engine & exhaust system? The only engine I ever saw with a crossover like that was a horizontally opposed Subaru flat four
  9. Lou C

    Lost Neutral and Reverse - Uh oh!

    Looks like the pin for the shift linkage broke but question is what caused it to break? I’d drain and inspect the gear oil as well.
  10. Lou C

    Spare Stern Drive

    what I found on ebay
  11. Lou C

    Cracked Block Replacement

    That price, figure on at least doubling your investment if you are replacing the engine, and expect it to be reliable. Its all the odds and ends that add up. Plus, a 2004 boat is far from new. You still have to check the structure for rot, moisture in the air, and moderate temperatures, all...
  12. Lou C

    Bought a new long block and wondering about the coupling and gimbal bearing.

    I have mine propped to 5000 WOT because I think my boat is a little big/heavy for a 4.3-4bbl (approx 4000 lbs) I have a Cobra drive with a 1.62:1 ratio and a 15.25x15 prop. This lowers the top speed as expected but the reduction in engine strain is well worth it. I could also use a 15x17 for a...
  13. Lou C

    Bought a new long block and wondering about the coupling and gimbal bearing.

    That's a big boat for a 5.7, I think the closer you get to 5000 the less strain on the engine every time you pull the boat up on plane. The other unmentioned factor is outdrive gear ratio, there are situations (like this big boat, not so big engine) where a higher numerical drive ratio might be...
  14. Lou C

    Bought a new long block and wondering about the coupling and gimbal bearing.

    The only things I have consistently read that are differences: head gaskets core plugs cam grind but nothing really relating to cylinder heads I think a lot of people who wind up having trouble like that are not propped correctly but are not aware of it having not really tested if the engine...
  15. Lou C

    Bought a new long block and wondering about the coupling and gimbal bearing.

    This brings out a whole new question though….are there really any differences between GM auto heads and marine heads? I’ve looked at sites that sell both and it seems that there “may” be differences yet the differences are not spelled out. Some listed as marine are a good deal more expensive as...
  16. Lou C

    Bought a new long block and wondering about the coupling and gimbal bearing.

    Interesting….this isn’t an issue with the OMC/Volvo thermostat housings which can use a plain old Chevy water neck gasket; in fact I coat that gasket & bolt threads with Evinrude gasket sealer yet never had a problem with the temp gauge. I’m thinking this is because OMC/Volvo have the temp...
  17. Lou C

    Marine Flywheel compared to an auto flywheel

    OMC & Volvo thoughtfully put a drain plug on the PS cooler that would drain that hose & cooler but it is just about un reachable. How I drain mine is put the outdrive down; then disconnect the front end of the water intake hose at the stat housing & hold it sown in the bilge. That drains most...
  18. Lou C

    OMC 2.3L hot idle problem

    Are you saying it had this problem in the water but not on the water muffs? Are you sure the choke valve is staying open with a hot engine?
  19. Lou C

    Alpha 1 Gen 1 Mercruiser power steering

    If you search on classic Mustang & Corvette sites they explain how to rebuild these units the right way.
  20. Lou C

    Bought a new long block and wondering about the coupling and gimbal bearing.

    looks great, everything is very neat and shiny! even the markings on the harmonic balancer! that's usually the darkest dirtiest part of a SBC lol.
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